[opendtv] Re: Variety.com: Comcast Offers HBO Without Other Cable Channels in Bundle Aimed at Cord-Cutters and Cord-Nevers
- From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2014 01:34:05 +0000
Craig Birkmaier wrote:
> Yes Bert, the Internet allows for competition. But it cannot compensate
> for the lack of competition when you only have one or a few choices for
> something you want.
The short answer to that being, if you can only find "one or a few" choices,
you either have an Internet device that is deliberately designed to be
incompetent (no need to mention these again), or you have no imagination.
> Please show me how you can access HBO Go WITHOUT paying for HBO delivered
> via a cord or DBS.
Bewkes is considering a new distribution type for HBO. This must be the fifth
time I repeat the quote. And I'll repeat what I wrote after it last time:
"Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes said at an investment conference last month that
the company was open to the idea of packaging HBO with a broadband offering
from cable and telco operators as long as they also offer pay TV to consumers."
There's no requirment for any other pay-TV package of any sort, ergo HBO would
potentially be offered with no *other* MPEG-2 TS broadcast channel, to this
client. So that being the case, the obvious way to offer HBO, to someone with a
double-play account, is over IP only, but WHO CARES?
> Show me just one such example Bert.
Trivially easy. I watch most of my prime time shows over IP (free or Amazon
Prime), and have no equal MPEG-2 TS cable or DBS stream. So clearly, the major
TV networks have figured it out, and Bewkes no doubt gets it. Bewkes is simply
saying, I too can play in that arena. And of course, he can!
> Simple. HBO IS OWNED BY Time Warner. They want to protect the cord service.
I thought Time Warner and TWC were separate again. In any event, smart
businessmen don't wait until the bottom falls out of their business model,
before adapting to new realities. We've been over this already, Craig. Smart
businessmen don't wait to lose 50 percent of their clients, before reacting to
change. They have to take action as soon as the trend develops, assuming they
aren't the ones that actually CREATE that new trend.
> The 6% figure is for all premium movie tiers offered by the MVPDs, including
> Showtime Starz, et al.
And your point is? And "the economy" that's used as an excuse doesn't seem to
bother Netflix, with a 43 percent (IIRC) increase.
Bert
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